⏱ Prep: 30 min + chill 🔥Bake: 20–25 min 👤Makes: 18–24 🫖Best with: Tea
South African jam and coconut tartlets, hertzoggies, are one of those bakes that appear on every tea table, at every gathering, without anyone needing to explain what they are. A buttery, tender pastry shell. A carefully measured spoonful of smooth apricot jam. A cloud of coconut meringue piped or spooned on top, baked until it turns golden and just barely crisp at the edges. Named after General J.B.M. Hertzog, Prime Minister of South Africa in the 1920s and 30s, and particularly beloved in the Cape Malay community where they remain a staple of Eid celebrations and everyday teatime alike.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 125g cold butter, cubed, cold butter is key for a flaky, tender pastry
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon mixed spice or nutmeg, optional but traditional
- 3 egg yolks, keep the whites for the meringue
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water as needed to bring the dough together
For the filling
- ½ cup smooth apricot jam, smooth, not chunky. Apricot is traditional; strawberry or raspberry work as alternatives.
For the coconut meringue
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature, in a completely clean, grease-free bowl
- ½ cup caster sugar, added gradually while beating
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Step by step
- Make the pastry. Rub the cold butter into the flour using your fingertips, or pulse in a food processor, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, baking powder, salt and mixed spice. Add the egg yolks and mix, then add cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together, handle as little as possible. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.Cold butter and minimal handling are both essential here, overworked pastry turns tough rather than tender, and warm butter stops it from becoming flaky.
- Line the tins. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 12-hole patty pan or mini muffin tin well. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pastry to about 3–4mm thick. Cut circles slightly wider than the tin holes and press gently into each cavity. Prick the base of each with a fork. Refrigerate the lined tins while you prepare the meringue.
- Make the coconut meringue. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the beater running, add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently fold in the desiccated coconut and vanilla extract.Any trace of fat or egg yolk in the bowl will prevent the whites from whipping properly. A clean metal or glass bowl works best, plastic can hold invisible grease residue.
- Fill with jam. Remove the chilled pastry-lined tins from the fridge. Spoon about 1–2 teaspoons of apricot jam into the base of each shell. Do not overfill.Too much jam and it will bubble out over the sides during baking, burning onto the tin and causing the tartlets to stick. A small, neat amount in the centre is all you need, it spreads slightly as it heats.
- Top with coconut meringue. Spoon or pipe the coconut meringue over the jam in each shell, completely covering the jam and filling the pastry to the top. Spoon rather than pipe gives a rustic look that browns beautifully at the tips.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is set and the meringue is lightly golden. Let the tartlets cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then twist gently and lift each one out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Why hertzoggies matter beyond the tin
Hertzoggies carry a specific history within the Cape Malay community in Cape Town, where they became associated with Eid celebrations and tuisnywerheid, the South African cottage industry tradition of baking at home and selling to the community.
They sit alongside koeksisters and milk tart as bakes that feel distinctly South African, no single cuisine’s invention but everyone’s inheritance.
Make it your own
Claire’s note
Raspberry or strawberry jam makes an equally good filling, any smooth jam works, the tartness just varies slightly. Some versions fold the coconut directly into the beaten egg whites without additional sugar since the jam and coconut are already sweet enough, either way is traditional. Hertzoggies are best eaten the day they’re baked, when the meringue is at its crispest. They keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, after which the meringue softens. Don’t refrigerate, moisture from the fridge speeds up the softening.
Serve with
South African jam and coconut tartlets are made for afternoon tea, served alongside rooibos or strong black tea. For more from the South African collection the complete African food guide has it all.
Add South African jam and coconut tartlets to your weekly meal planner as a bake-ahead teatime treat that keeps for days. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.
Print
South African Jam and Coconut Tartlets (Hertzoggies)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 18–24 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Deliciously tender pastry shells filled with apricot jam and topped with a fluffy coconut meringue, perfect for afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 125g cold butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon mixed spice or nutmeg (optional)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1–2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup smooth apricot jam
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ cup caster sugar (for meringue)
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the pastry. Rub the cold butter into the flour until resembling fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, baking powder, salt, and mixed spice. Add egg yolks and mix, then add cold water until dough comes together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Line the tins. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a mini muffin tin, roll chilled pastry thin, cut circles, and press into cavities. Refrigerate the lined tins.
- Make the coconut meringue. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, gradually add caster sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in coconut and vanilla.
- Fill with jam. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of jam into each pastry shell.
- Top with coconut meringue. Cover jam completely with the meringue.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tin and cool completely.
Notes
For a twist, use raspberry or strawberry jam. Best eaten the day they are baked.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: South African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tartlet
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
